AAR: Lake Jackson, Texas Ladyseed June 4-5th

[doubleLL]

The Lake Jackson shoot was our first Houston area shoot! The Greenwood Gun Club welcomed us with open arms. We were spoiled with big fans and water to keep us cool. The 4H group provided lunch as a fundraiser both days with great hotdogs, hamburgers and a salad plate.  The range is by far the nicest range I have seen with huge trees, tables, and canopies.

We had full attendance at the shoot with a total of 18 ladies. The majority (all but 4) were listed as new shooters. The ladies all showed huge improvements in their shooting and loved the history. I believe this was the first group of shooters I have had who understood IMC and was able to make their own sight adjustments!! The heat was record breaking in the 100's so we took things at a slower pace to make sure everyone was drinking water.

We got to the AQT grind by Sunday after lunch. We had several shooters knocking at the door in the 180's. I was impressed by how quickly our new shooters improved and absorbed the instruction. 

I received the following letter from one of our ladies this weekend:

Hi Lauren,

I hope you have recovered from your weekend here.  I can't thank you all enough for taking the time to come down here and share your rifle skills and historical knowledge with us.  I know we all learned so much - even those that couldn't keep shooting until the end - myself included.  I have told everyone I talked to how powerful it was to hear you all repeat the tales of that day just prior to the war with so much enthusiasm.  It was like you were there, and it really made the history come alive.

And the patience of each instructor - especially under such extreme heat - was unending.  I never noticed one instructor who seemed the least bit frustrated or irritated with the shooters, though I'm sure you all must have felt it at times.  You are all amazing examples of the type of people we need to be in this country.

Again, thank you to each one of you for doing such an admirable job at Greenwood Gun Club last weekend.  We will always remember it - and I've already told my son and husband that we are all going to another Appleseed shoot in the future - after we get a newer rifle :0)

Thanks to all our instructors who came out this weekend. You all did a fantastic job and I am proud to have worked the line with you.

The weekend was a huge success- with the range already planning more Appleseeds.

Please send an e-mail to the range-    ggc@brazosport.edu    letting them know how much we appreciate them hosting us this weekend. 

[Threehorse]

Lauren,

Were any pictures posted? If so, I did not find them.

I also would like to mention that you disappeared before I could give you hug for the great job that you did.

Jan AKA Threehorse

[doubleLL]

Thanks Jan!
I was actually sick this weekend and the heat took its toll on me by Sunday. I am waiting for the Jennifer to send me the pictures we took from her camera. I believe SNAITF also took photos this weekend.  I know we have a good one of Mark.

[Sir Not Appearing In This Film]

Were any pictures posted? If so, I did not find them.

Comin' right up...

[Sir Not Appearing In This Film]

During the 1st Redcoat we had 6 shooters that cleared the 100 yard silhouette. 2 cleared the 200 yard silhouette.

Some of the rifles employed were...

7 Ruger 10/22s

2 lever action

2 tube fed semi-auto

about 60% of the rifles had scopes installed.

In a few cases a well intending husband supplied his wife with a rifle that he thought would work well, but in the end wasn't the best choice. Isn't it funny how people that have never been to an Appleseed think they know what equipment is needed at an Appleseed? At least one shooter showed up Sunday with a new rifle purchased the Saturday evening.

(I'm not knocking your equipment ladies - I'm jabbing at those who assume) 


Saturday






Pink hat, sequined sling - hmmm...




(Alonso is probably thinking "Remind me to hurt SNAITF and doubleLL later...")

In his defense, this is normally how his sling is marked...


It is a well known fact that SNAITF cannot form words if you tie his hands...












Sunday.


































Jan demonstrates the proper support hand usage.
















The ladies were a blessing. The fans were a blessing. Electricity on the line was a blessing. The covered range was a blessing. Until Monday AM I had no idea it had been over 100 degrees. Sunday I did get a bit of a headache when I took a rifle off the line to clean it. The area where I worked on the rifle was in direct sunlight and just that 10 minutes or so in the sun was enough to put a whammy on me. Alonso gave me an Excedrin and I sat down in the shade downed about 20 .oz of Gatorade before I got back on the line.


Improvised cheek rest for a better cheek weld.


You don't have to use a semi-auto to shoot at Appleseed...


nor do you have to have the latest and greatest rifle to participate. The classics can be employed at Appleseed with good effect.


I was very pleased that, despite the heat, these ladies persisted. My hat is off to you! This was the first Ladyseed I instructed at, but it certainly won't be the last.

[starfox]

I'm really not sure whom to give props to more.  The ladies who stuck it out through record breaking heat, or the elite of the Instructor Corps in Texas.  Oh, who am I kidding, a line full of new women shooters, who by the end of the weekend were showing persistence, adapting and overcoming!

We had an exceptional host range for this event and event more exceptional attendees.  We met the challenge of the first Houston Ladyseed with a great group of instructors!

Almost to a lady, we had a group of new shooters who didn't know the bolt from the barrel at the beginning of the weekend, and by the close, not only knew the mechanics of their rifle, but also were shooting 4 MOA groups!! 

Simply put, Don't Mess With Texas Women!!   

[CaptG]

What a great shoot! All the ladies were impressive. All hung in there and improved despite the heat and the volume of new stuff thrown at them. They had some of the best attitudes I've ever worked with.

It's also really nice to have another range so close to home. I'll be back.

Lauren, it was great to finally get to meet and work with you. Nimrod, see you again soon. Mark, good to see you too. Ditto Andrew. SNAITF, see you this weekend.

Guy

[alonso1]

What a great Appleseed this was!  We had a line full of motivated ladies who dealt with the heat and the rigors of the AQT grind and I never heard a complaint.  Also a big Huzzah to the ladies who could not continue shooting but stayed and heard the rest of the history

Indeed, this will be a most memorable shoot.  I will never forget Jennifer opening her owners manual and reading the instructions to better understand her Rifle ( that just made too much sense ).  Most of us guys, at least me, will usually leave the owners manual at home and oil, force things, hammer things, and just try to figure out a Rifle before we finally give up and read the instructions.

And this was also the first Appleseed where during a break, I witnessed about half the shooters fold their AQT's and use them as fans while they sat at some picnic tables.

And I learned just how tricky Doublell is.  You see, she asked me to demo the prone position, knowing the demo Rifle had a blinged out DIVA sling on it and now my mug is on the World Wide Web with the cutest sling in all of Appleseed   but seriously, this was a good shoot, a great bunch of shooters and a wonderful location.

I can't wait for the next Appleseed in Lake Jackson.

[voortrekker]

This is a most excellent AAR!!!!

A salute from the TX hill country to all the ladies in attendance!


And I see Alonso is trying to start up a new fashion trend too........hmmmmmm

That's real sweet Alonso, 

All I have to say is don't bring that thing to Davilla.  All those diamonds are gonna throw your NPOA off buddy!   

In all seriousness, THANK YOU very much DIVA's for your attendance and support of Appleseed.

I can see from attendance, the TX RWVA Chapter provided some of their finest and most experienced Instructors for this event.

THANK YOU TX Instructors..........I will be on the line in Davilla come this Saturday, paying it forward.

Brett   

[TruTenacity]

This came through in the RWVA gmail account. 

Hi,

I just wanted to say how much I admire and appreciate the Appleseed Project!  I attended the Appleseed/DIVA shoot this past weekend at Greenwood Gun Club and can't say enough about the instructors, and the knowledge and skill they possess - as well as their unending patience with all the shooters.  Each instructor that came down was a wonderful representative of your organization.  They made the history come alive to us by telling it with feeling, emotion, and as if they were really there.  And the rifle skills we learned were extremely helpful.

Unfortunately, I was unable to keep shooting until the end of the day on Sunday, but I was there and learned everything I could.  I've already told my son and husband that we will all be attending a future shoot - after we buy a new rifle - and because of some health issues I'm currently dealing with, when the weather is a bit cooler.

Please commend your instructors on behalf of all of us and thank them for their dedication to such an outstanding program.  I hope to see them all again in the near future.

Keep up the good work!
Cathi